


Poor

by 1DE3shipper



Series: 100 Writing Prompts [9]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Student!Liam, homeless!Zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 08:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1259842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1DE3shipper/pseuds/1DE3shipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam finds a homeless boy sitting outside of his class one day and feels a strong amount of sympathy for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Poor

**Author's Note:**

> Finally! One with something resembling plot/dialogue/actual writing! This is definitely one I'd think about continuing but let me know what you guys think!

Liam pulled his hoodie tighter around himself as he shuffled to class through the October wind. He wished he had thought to bring gloves, but it was unseasonably cold and he hadn't though he needed them and there wasn't time to go and get a pair from his dorm until after class. He would have to survive without them for the day.

As he approached the science building, eagerly awaiting the shelter from the wind, he noticed a figure curled up on a bench. The boy, he saw, was freezing and the thinly woven threads covering his arms couldn't even count for a coat.

Liam, ever the Good Samaritan, stopped by the bench. "You alright there?" He asked, eyebrows drawn in concern. On top of freezing, the boy didn't look healthy at all. His cheeks were sunk in, his wrists appeared to be the size of a toothpick, and the circles under his eyes were an abnormally deep purple.

Looking up for the first time, something resembling fear in his eyes, the skinny boy nodded quickly. "Yeah... I was...just going...sorry." He moved to stand up but Liam stopped him. 

"Sorry for what? You just look cold is all. Don't you have a coat?"

"Can't afford one," the boy quickly busied himself with crushing a dried up leaf into the pavement. "And I'm not supposed to be here. 'M not a student or anything... I was just looking for a place to sit."

Can't afford one? "Where do you live, then?" Liam asked cautiously. 

The boy just waved his hand. "Wherever, really. I slept here last night. Haven't had a home for a while."

"That's not right."

The boy gave a sad smile and a shiver, as if the wind chose to demonstrate Liam's claim by sending a particularly strong gust. "That's life."

"I'll be back," Liam said suddenly. "I have to go to class, but as soon as I'm out I'll he right back here. Wait for me?" 

He didn't know why he said it, didn't know how he expected the boy to respond, but there was something about this boy, even in his poverty, that Liam felt oddly attached to. He was, nonetheless, surprised when the boy nodded and pulled his knees up to his chest in an effort to keep warm. Liam pulled out his wallet and hesitated momentarily before pulling out enough money for a hot drink.

"Here," he said, giving the boy the cash. "You can go buy a coffee or something while I'm gone. It'll keep you warm." As an afterthought, he shrugged off his own sweatshirt and handed it to the boy, who was now staring at him with something resembling complete awe. "Just until I get back. Then maybe we can buy you something warmer."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" The boy asked suspiciously.

"Honestly," Liam chuckled. "I have no idea. I'm Liam, by the way."

"Zayn," the boy smiled, looking considerably warmer, swallowed up in the sweatshirt that was a little too big on its owner and giant on the smaller boy.

"Well," Liam turned to enter the building. "See you around, Zayn." And Liam knew he would see Zayn around. Something told him that when he got out of class he would find the homeless boy curled up exactly as Liam had found him minutes ago.

And he was right.

**Author's Note:**

> So? Should I try continuing it? Comments are love!


End file.
